The Empire's Guardian Deity (3)
The origin of monsters—grotesque creatures whose true nature remained unknown—had never been precisely determined. Yet continental historians generally agreed that they had appeared alongside the Demon King who descended upon the continent thousands of years ago. Monsters came in countless shapes and forms, making it impossible to define a single ecosystem that encompassed them all. If there was one common trait they shared, however, it was their boundless hostility toward humans.
Most of them treated humans as their primary food source. Even if the intelligent races of the continent avoided contact with them, the monsters would band together in packs and launch raids of their own. The number of nations that had been utterly destroyed by monster incursions was beyond counting. As a result, every modern country made it policy to prioritize the extermination of any monsters that appeared in their territory. This was true even for the Empire and the Kingdom, despite their poor relations.
Unlike opponents with whom words could be exchanged, monsters were closer to natural disasters. At first they might be manageable, but if left alone too long they would grow into an unstoppable cataclysm that eventually swallowed everything. The proof was clear: every nation that had ever tried to make use of monsters had been annihilated without exception.
…And those very monsters are being overwhelmed by sheer power. Is what I’m seeing right now truly real?
Yes. That was how strong they were. Disasters so devastating that entire nations had to mobilize to deal with them. Yet right now, every last one of those monsters was being pushed back by brute force.
The flames raining down from the sky were nothing short of apocalyptic. The monsters tried to fight back—firing arrows, even casting spells—but none of their attacks came close to reaching their target. Attempting a counterattack only made things worse. The moment they paused even briefly to strike back, an even more devastating inferno would crash down on them.
A calamity that surpassed calamity itself. That was the only way to describe her. The sight was so overwhelming that, for the briefest instant, Zaiha even felt a flicker of sympathy for the monsters.
But he quickly came to his senses. Feeling pity for mere monsters was a luxury he could not afford.
“Everyone fall back! Exterminate the monsters while staying clear of the flames!”
What followed was little more than a one-sided slaughter. The Kingdom and Imperial armies closed in from both sides, surrounding the monsters that were desperately fleeing the blazing meteors falling from above. The horde that had settled on the border between the Kingdom and the Empire could not hold out for even an hour. Most were reduced to ashes before the battle was over.
Though the fighting had ended, Zaiha’s expression remained grim. No matter how well they had cooperated this once, a single joint operation would not suddenly make them close allies. From the Kingdom’s perspective, the Empire was still its greatest threat.
And that Empire had Wolfgang.
He tried to imagine it. If this had been a war. If the same one-sided barrage of fire had rained down upon them. Could they have done anything to stop it?
The answer was no. At first the attacks had come from positions that could at least be observed with magic or equipment, but later the attacker had risen to altitudes where even magic could no longer detect her.
I always believed no single individual could decide the outcome of a war… yet such a being exists within the Empire. No wonder they call her the Empire’s Guardian Deity.
The Empire’s Guardian Deity. Zaiha had heard the name Wolfgang Leonhardt many times before. When he had visited the Blood Alliance not long ago, he had even learned that his fiancée, Jeanne, had come into contact with her.
“Please let me handle this alone this time.”
“That’s too dangerous, Jeanne. If she tries to harm you…”
“It’s all right, Zaiha. Please… just trust me this once.”
Come to think of it, I didn’t even get a proper look at her face back then.
In truth, the Saintess had strongly opposed this subjugation mission as well. It was only because Zaiha had pushed so hard that they had barely managed to come here at all.
He let out a sigh and shifted his gaze. Though the idea didn’t sit well with him, they had cooperated to defeat the monsters. At the very least, exchanging greetings seemed like basic courtesy. With that thought in mind, Zaiha began walking forward.
Just then, he spotted Wolfgang Leonhardt slowly descending from the sky. Despite unleashing such overwhelming firepower, she showed no sign of fatigue. But the moment he drew close enough to see her clearly, Zaiha froze in shock.
Her features had grown sharper than before, and she now wore an eyepatch, yet he recognized her instantly. How could he possibly forget? They had once promised their futures to each other. Even though he now considered those memories a shameful mistake born of deception, they had not simply vanished.
“…Lana Frost?”
Whether from shock or some other emotion, the name slipped from Zaiha’s lips before he could stop himself.
Phew. That was terrifying.
Wolfgang, who had been mercilessly raining fire from the sky, judged that the situation was mostly under control and slowly descended to the ground. The reason she had attacked from the air was simple.
Because she was scared.
Of course, they were nothing compared to Wendigo, but monsters were still man-eating, people-harming beasts. And their appearances were so horrifying that anyone who had lived a safe, modern life would naturally want to avoid them. That was why she had chosen to attack from above. This wasn’t a game, after all. There was no reason to go looking for excitement by trading blows with grotesque creatures up close.
Of course, if the opponent were a monster her tactics didn’t work on, the story would be different.
“Captain! You worked hard!”
“Galina?”
“Yes! Please leave the rest to us!”
Her adjutant, Galina, had naturally participated in this monster subjugation as well. In truth, the other members of the Vendetta Legion had also wanted to join, but Wolfgang had refused. If the Kingdom sees those lunatics running wild, it’ll only cause more headaches.
The way the others fought could hardly be called human. So she had chosen only Galina—who at least fought in a manner resembling a person—and brought her along.
Of course, they themselves wouldn’t care about other people’s opinions. But someone in Wolfgang’s position had no choice but to be mindful of such things, whether she wanted to or not.
“Good. It looks like things are mostly wrapped up here. We should head back soon…”
“…Lana Frost?”
She had thought the situation was settled. At least until she heard that attention-grabbing voice.
The first to react to the familiar name was Wolfgang herself. It was closer to instinct than conscious thought. Thanks to that, she clearly saw him—the golden-haired young man who had approached from behind and was now staring at her with a stunned expression.
She was certain. It was no mistake. That man had just called her Lana Frost.
The name she had pushed to the back of her mind. Wolfgang had only started paying attention to it again after Jackal told her about the rumors. For some reason, it refused to leave her head. It felt almost like recovering something she had lost.
But after meeting Teodore von Frost, she had essentially forgotten about it again. Because Teodore had denied the possibility. Ten years was a long time; it was possible he simply didn’t recognize her. Still, he was her blood brother and a member of the Frost Duchy. If she truly were Lana, would he really not know at all?
The answer was no. So she had let it go and moved on with a lighter heart.
Yet here it was again, in the most unexpected place.
And Wolfgang had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.
When Wolfgang began walking toward him, Zaiha inwardly cursed. What have I done… My heart belongs entirely to Jeanne.
There had been a time when he truly believed he loved her. But that was wrong. If he had not been the Crown Prince, would Lana Frost have continued to love him?
The fact that he had once loved Lana Frost remained a source of shame for Zaiha. He steadied himself. No matter what she said, he would not be swayed. He swore it.
“Do you know something about me?”
“…There’s no reason I should tell you that.”
Do not speak with Wolfgang Leonhardt if you can help it.
It was only natural that the Saintess Jeanne had warned him repeatedly. Rather than provoking Wolfgang unnecessarily, she had hoped they could simply pass each other in silence. The real reason she had sent Teodore to stay by Zaiha’s side was not only to prepare for any unexpected situations, but because she had read the desire burning in Teodore’s eyes.
Teodore would want his younger sister Lana Frost to be happy. He would never simply stand by and watch her converse with Wolfgang.
And just as expected, he moved.
“If you know anything, I would appreciate it if you told me. My memories are not entirely intact.”
“…What?”
“What is that supposed to…”
But there was one thing Jeanne had failed to anticipate.
It was that Wolfgang was far too honest.
Thanks to that, not only Zaiha but even Teodore—who had been approaching—heard every word. The expressions of both men began to fill with shock.